Aishiteru I love you
by kitsunerei
Summary: Its a Hiei fic that I really hope you will enjoy. One more chapter! THIS IS NOT YAOI! I say its a Hiei fic and people instantly jump to conclusions...*rant rant* ~ by the author formally known as Rei_White
1. Child

AN:  I know, I need to finish my other Hiei story "When I Hurt You, it Means I Love You" but this one just came on the merciful wings of inspiration and I had to write it.  I do not own the cuddle-worthy Yu Yu Hakusho characters; I only own my brainchild and masterpiece, Miyuki.  Her name translated means Deep Snow if I am not mistaken.  *shrugs* That bit has no significance, I just like the name.  At the very beginning of each chapter I will have song lyrics that I see fitting, and at the very end will be an Author's Note trying to explain why I think that way.  It's your choice to read it.  Please forgive me now if I misuse or misspell any Japanese.   Enjoy your reading. 

_~Rei_

"Desperate for something to touch

A moment of kindness like that in a dream

Your innocent eyes have yet no idea…

Of the path your destiny will follow."

~ Evangelion, Cruel Angel's Thesis

Aishiteru 

**_(I love you)_**

Chapter 1:  Child 

Yuusuke grumbled to himself as he stood in a clearing in the Makai.  He was waiting with Kuwabara and Keiko for the others to show up.  Ko-Enma had a new mission for them, and he said that **every one** would have to be present.

            "Yuusuke, do you think we're safe?"  Keiko asked nervously.  Ever since they had arrived in the Makai she had been sticking as close to him as she could.  She had every good reason to be afraid, though.  It seemed every time she came to the Makai nasty youkai's would try to hurt her.

            "If anything goes wrong Kuwabara and I are here."  He said reassuringly.  Keiko didn't seem anymore at ease and moved closer to him.  He wrapped an arm about her shoulders and pulled her close to his side.  Part of it was to make her feel better; part of it was to make himself feel better.  If he could be in contact with Keiko, he would know that she wasn't in any harm.

            "Shouldn't you be preparing for the mission, rather than trying to get in good with your girlfriend?"

            Yuusuke turned to look at the tree from which the cold, aloof voice had come from.  Sure enough, sitting in one of the branches was the diminutive Fire Demon, Hiei.  He leapt down and stood at the tree's base, leaning against it.  Behind him, Yukina pushed through the bushes, spotting Kuwabara and smiling at him.

            "Where are the others?"  Hiei asked.

            "We're right here."

            The group already in the clearing turned to look at Kurama, Boton and the older form of Ko-Enma walk from the trees.  Yuusuke let go of Keiko and moved closer to the three who had just arrived.

            "Why do we all need to be here?"  He asked.

            "Because of the mission, we need everyone here."  Ko-Enma explained.

            "What about this mission?"  Kuwabara asked, moving closer to Yukina but not touching her for fear of Hiei.  "What do we need to do?"

            Ko-Enma took the pacifier from his mouth and used his stored reikai within it.  In the middle of the group appeared a little girl with short silvery white hair.  She wore a frilly pink sleeping gown, her eyes shut as her chest rose and fell evenly.

            "Do we have to protect this kid?!"  Yuusuke asked in surprise.  He had expected the mission to be more along the lines of killing some nasty youkai's, not babysitting some child.

            "She's adorable," Keiko said, moving over to where she lay sleeping in the grass.

            "Don't touch her!"  Ko-Enma shouted.  Keiko stopped, hand reached out halfway to pet the girl's soft hair.

            "Why not?"

            "Its important that she doesn't wake up until I tell you what must happen."  Ko-Enma said.

            "So tell us so we can get out of here."  Kuwabara said impatiently.

            Ko-Enma grumbled, but explained anyway.  "This child is very important to the three worlds, she's the link between them.  Plenty of people out there would like her dead."

            "So?"  Kuwabara asked, getting a hit on his arm from Yukina in response.

            "So, since she's the link between the three words, if she dies, then everything will be thrown out of order!  Chaos will ensue!  Demons and humans alike will be able to travel freely between all three of the worlds!"  Ko-Enma shouted.  He calmed himself down and continued.  "The child you see before you is the reborn form of the old link, and until she has enough energy to 'grow up' she will need to spirit link with someone.  That's where all of you come in."

            "Whoa, whoa!  Hold on!  Reborn?  She was killed before?"  Yuusuke asked, confused, and beginning to get angry because of it.

            "No, she just used up almost all of her reikai protecting the Ningenkai where you were."  Ko-Enma said with a growl, he was really starting to get angry about being interrupted so much.

            "So she went back to the form of a child?"  Yukina asked, standing next to Keiko who was hovering close to the little girl.

            "Part of it is fail-safe.  If she uses up too much of her spirit energy she doesn't die, she just reverts to a form that uses little to no energy until she has regained enough to take on her older form."

            "Then what's the other part?"  Hiei asked, trying his best to sound indifferent.  He took the missions he was given seriously, and wouldn't botch this one just because he wasn't interested.

            Ko-Enma's face grew more somber.  "She has been around since the three worlds were created.  When she reverts to her child form, she forgets everything from her past lives.  When she 'grows up' she remembers only the things that are important.  Its better for her that way."  He looked thoughtful for a while then shook his head.  "Anyway, when she wakes up, hopefully one of you will have similar spirit energy to hers and she will be able to link up.  The only drawbacks are that she will need to stay with whomever she links with and, depending on **who** she links with, the length of time before she has enough energy to 'grow older' may be a year or two at most."

            "How long at the least?"  Yuusuke asked.  He really didn't want to baby sit some brat for a year or more.

            Ko-Enma shrugged.  "The least amount of time that's been known was eight months, and that was when she linked with a fire demon."

            "So she's most compatible with fire demons?"  Kurama asked, looking meaningfully at Hiei, but the young Fire Demon ignored it.  Ko-Enma shrugged once more.

            "So let's hurry and wake her up so we can get out of here."  Kuwabara said.  He moved over to the little girl and nudged her.

            Wide sky blue eyes blinked open and focused on the towering form of Kuwabara before her.  She gave a small yelp of fear and tried to run away, but only bumped into the equally tall Kurama.  She looked **all** the way up at his smiling face and backed away, running into Keiko and Yukina.  She turned to look at them and Keiko knelt down to her height, smiling as kindly as she could and holding out her hand, palm up.

            "Hi there," she said sweetly.  "My name is Keiko, what's yours?"

            The girl backed away, only to topple head over heels to the ground as she tripped over Boton's oar.  She looked up at Ko-Enma and the giggling Boton and began to crawl away, stopping cold in her tracks when her little hand touched something hard.  She looked down and let her eyes trail up the long legs of Yuusuke, who looked down at her with a slight scowl on his face.

            It was finally too much.  She moved back to the center of the circle of very **tall** strangers, tears welling in her eyes, and plopped down in the grass, letting out a loud wail.

            "This isn't good, it doesn't seem any of you have similar reikai."  Ko-Enma said.  "I was afraid of this."

            "Hold on, she didn't see Hiei yet."  Yukina said, pushing her brother gently ahead, urging him to step closer to the terrified girl.  Hiei gave an annoyed sigh and walked into the circle, stopping beside the crying child.  She did nothing, just continued sobbing.  "Get her attention," Yukina prompted.

            Hiei sighed again and nudged the girl's side with his foot.  She stopped and turned her wide blue eyes to Hiei.  He scowled as she got to her feet and moved over to him, grabbing his hand and tugging on it.  He reluctantly crouched down and let the child peer into his face.

            She reached out a tentative hand and felt Hiei's main of black hair, lifting her own silvery white strands to contrast them.  Hiei was getting fed up of letting the girl clumsily tug on his hair when she threw her arms about his neck and buried her little face in the cloth of his shirt.  Startled, Hiei pushed her away, causing her to land harshly on her backside.  He gained angry glares from all of the girls and uncomfortably disapproving looks from most of the guys.

            "She's just a kid, there's no reason for you to have done that."  Kuwabara growled.  Most of the time he kept a tuff exterior, but when it came to pretty girls, kittens and children, he often got very angry when people tried to hurt any of the three in his presence.

            "She just likes you, Hiei," Yuusuke said, even he had a soft spot for kids.

            "Exactly," Ko-Enma said,  "Since you are on probation under my terms and have similar spirit energy to her, you must link up."

            Hiei gave an exasperated sigh.  He didn't care about the fact that everyone, even Yukina, was angry with him for what he had done.  It wouldn't have bothered him what so ever, except for the fact that the child wasn't wailing.  Instead she just sat, knees pulled to her chest, looking at him with the most pathetic expression and letting the tears slide down her cheeks silently.

            "Fine," he grumbled, moving swiftly over to the girl, picking her up and crushing her in what was supposed to be a comforting hug.

            She gasped for air and scrabbled at his back until he loosened his grasp and held her away from him.  She rested her hands on his strong arms and pushed herself up, feeling uncomfortable with nothing but his hands beneath her little arms holding her aloft.  Hiei was clueless as to what to do with the squirming girl so finally set her on the ground and knelt to her height.

            She looked at him, traces of fear still readable in her eyes.  Finally she decided it was safe to be near him after all and smiled.  She wrapped her little arms about his neck again, slowly this time and nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, closing her eyes and hugged him.  He awkwardly hugged her about the shoulders.

            He suddenly felt lightheaded and it was as if strange presence had appeared in his mind.  He recognized it as the girl's spirit.  Bright and vibrant colors filled his mind and he got the feeling of safety and happiness, only to realize that it was Miyuki's feelings.

Miyuki?

It was her name and she didn't ever want to be apart from the nice boy who was hugging her, even if he did push her.

            Hiei shook his head out of the daze and hastily let go of the girl.  If he had been able to read her feelings and understand new things about her from their link, then what if she could do the same?

            But she only smiled at him and blushed shyly.  "My name is Miyuki."  She said in a soft voice.  "What's yours?"

            Hiei sighed inwardly, relieved that she wasn't affected by the link the same way he had been.  "Hiei."

            "Hiei," she said, testing out his name.  She seemed to enjoy the way it rolled over her tongue because she said it again a couple of times.  Each time she said it her voice grew more material and strong until her voice wasn't a shy whisper.  "Are you my papa?"     

            Yuusuke let out a loud snort, and then broke into peals of laughter.  "Hiei, a father?!  That's a good one!"  Kuwabara stifled laughter beside him and Kurama cracked a smile.  Yukina and Keiko giggled with Boton as Ko-Enma did his best to keep a straight face.

            "No, I'm not your papa."  Hiei said angrily, spitting the last word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.  "I'm not your brother either so don't get any ideas."

            Miyuki's young face revealed panic.  "Are you going to leave me alone?"  She asked anxiously, grabbing onto his hand.

            It was all Hiei could do not to pull it away.  "No."

            "He's going to watch over you for a while, Miyuki."  Keiko said gently. Miyuki moved closer to Hiei's side and watched Keiko with wary blue eyes.  She glanced up at him for reassurance, but his face remained impassive.

            After getting a dirty glare from Yukina he sighed, gritting his teeth.  "Right," Hiei agreed.  As Miyuki gave a cheer and hugged around his waist he kept repeating one line to himself over and over.

            _It's for the mission.  It's for the mission.  It's for the mission._

_            Right?_

To Be Continued… 

_AN:  This ending author's note is here to try to explain the song lyrics that I have put at the beginning of each chapter.  I have my purposes, and even if you don't understand, that's ok, because it is MY story after all.  Heh… Anyway, the lyrics from Evangelion's theme song "Cruel Angel's Thesis" is at the beginning of this chapter because it makes me think of a child, "Your innocent eyes have yet no idea…"  Yeah, you get the picture.  Stay tuned for the second chapter, Grown._


	2. Grown

_Author's Note**:  **__Welcome to Chapter 2 of Aishiteru (I Love You). By now you should be able to tell that the chapter titles are opposites of each other. I don't own the battle hardened members of Yu Yu Hakusho, though I wish I did. Forgive me please if I misuse or misspell any Japanese. Enjoy the reading. _

_~Rei_

"My how you've grown

I remember that phrase from my child hood days

Just wait and see

Remember those words and how they chided me

When patient was the hardest thing to be

Because we can't make up for the time that we've lost

I must let these memories provide

No little girl can stop her world to wait for me

I should have known

At your age in a string of days

The year is gone

But in that space of time

It takes so long."

~ How You've Grown****

Chapter 2:  Grown 

**__**

            Watching over the little Miyuki meant three things.

1.  He had to constantly watch the girl so she couldn't get into any trouble.

2.  He had to be seen with the girl and thus possibly mistaken as her father or brother by idiot Ningens.

            3.  He was trapped in the Ningenkai.

            The last of the three was by far the worst, however.  He was forced to stay in the Ningenkai full of Ningens so Miyuki could be safe.  No more training.  No more fights of his caliber.  No more freedom.

            It had been decided that, for the most part, Hiei and Miyuki would stay at Kurama's home since he lived by himself.  On occasion they would spend the night at Yusuke or Kuwabara's.  Staying with Keiko was out of the question because her parents wouldn't accept it.  Spending the night at the temple where Yukina lived would be all right as long as they didn't stay for more than three days in a row.

            For the first time, however, they would all spend the night at Kurama's.  Partly so the girls could try to coach Hiei on how to handle the child, partly because they hadn't spent time all together outside of their missions.

            When Miyuki followed Hiei into Kurama's home she gapped in awe at the pleasant furnishings.  Immediately she ran to the living room, having only her sleeping gown to wear, and jumped onto the couch.  Hiei was relieved that she had left his side and sat on the floor next to the other boys, watching as the girls sat beside Miyuki and began asking her questions.

            "How old are you?"  Boton asked.

            "This many," Miyuki said and proudly held up seven fingers.

            "Wow!"  Keiko said, smiling.

            "You know I don't think it would have been so bad if she'd have had to spirit link with me," Yusuke said behind his hand.  "Kids always draw women."

            "I heard that Yusuke Uruameshi."  Keiko said.  Yusuke blushed with embarrassment.

            "I was just kidding, Keiko."  He said with a nervous laugh.

            "It couldn't be helped with who she linked with," Ko-Enma said.  "Though I am surprised.  It would seem that your reiki is the closest match to hers ever."

            "Good, then it won't take long for her to change to her older form."  Hiei said moodily.  "At least she won't bother me for long."

            There was a moment of silence, which was immediately filled with a small sniffle.  All eyes turned to Miyuki, who slipped down from the couch and stood holding her hands miserably.  "I'm sorry, Hiei.  I'll go away."  She said in a trembling voice, then turned and ran down one of the halls.  A door could be heard clicking softly shut.

            "What?"  Hiei asked as seven faces with varying forms of disapproval turned toward him.

            "That wasn't very nice of you to say when she was right there, Hiei."  Boton said.

            "She's just a child, remember?  Even if she has an older version, she doesn't understand right now."  Keiko said.

            "What am I supposed to do?"  Hiei asked in exasperation.

            "Go talk to her.  Say you're sorry."  Yukina coached.

            "Hn,"

            "Hiei, if the link is broken, it'll take even longer for her to get enough energy."  Ko-Enma said as a means to motivate him.

            With a sigh the Koorime stood up and followed Miyuki's path, the other's watching him from the living room.  He stopped at the only shut door and looked back, only to have the three girls urge him on.  He growled and opened the door, stepping inside.

            He glanced quickly around the room, but couldn't see Miyuki anywhere.  Then he heard a slight sniffling and walked over to the other side of the bed.  He found Miyuki sitting on the floor, knees hugged to her chest.  She looked up at him when he stopped beside her.  For some reason the expression of fear on her face disturbed him and he sat down next to her.  She watched him with sapphire eyes until he spoke.

            "I'm sorry," he said reluctantly.

            Miyuki wiped her tears, "I'm sorry."

            They sat in silence for a while longer.  "Do you want to go back to the living room?"  At Miyuki's hesitant nod they both stood and she took his hand.  He allowed her to hold it, but didn't return the pressure.  Miyuki seemed to be fine with this and they both walked back.

            Hiei shook his hand away from her's when they reached the couch and moved back over to his spot sitting on the floor with the boys.  She sat back down with the girls and allowed Keiko to pull her into her lap only after looking warily at Hiei.

            "Why don't we watch a movie?"  Kurama suggested.

***

            The movie was half over.  Keiko and Yusuke had drifted together along with Kuwabara and Yukina.  Boton sat with Miyuki on the couch along with Ko-Enma and Kurama while Hiei kept his place on the floor.  He was just getting into the story plot when he felt a pressure on his leg.  Miyuki was crawling into his lap.  He glanced over at his sister for what to do.  Yukina just smiled and nodded.

            Miyuki squirmed around for a while, distracting him to the point of anger.  When she finally found a comfortable position, resting her back against his left arm, he had completely missed an important chunk of the movie.  After a while, her head began to nod forward and eventually she fell asleep, resting against his shoulder.

            As she slept, she turned so her body curled into his.  Soon her face and hands were pressed against his shirt, her fingers fisting handfuls of the cloth.  Hiei could feel her chest rise and fall evenly.  By the time the credits were rolling he had nearly forgotten about the small warmth in his lap.  He glanced down uneasily, unsure of how to move her without waking her.

            Yukina made a motion, as if picking something up.  Hiei got the picture, and gathered the little child into his arms, standing.  Kurama pointed down the hall.  "The guest rooms that way, second door down."  He whispered.

            Hiei stepped back into the room that Miyuki had hidden in before and set her down on the bed, covering her up.  He was about to step back out through the door when he heard a soft moan, and then tired words.  "I'm sorry, Hiei."

            He closed the door softly and walked back into the living room.  As he stepped back in everyone grew silent, and he realized they had been talking about him.  He glared around the room, and then sat on the floor once more.

            "She's so adorable."  Keiko said finally.

            "She's a pain."  Hiei growled.  "You're telling me I'm going to have to constantly watch that little brat?  One day was enough."

            "In order to keep the spirit link you **must** stay close to her."  Ko-Enma said.

            "Come on, Hiei, you can manage a little girl for a couple of months."  Yukina said.

            "She doesn't really like the rest of us, though, dose she?"  Yusuke asked.

            "I've noticed that," Kurama said.

            Ko-Enma shrugged, he seemed to do that a lot in terms of questions about Miyuki.  "There could be any number of reasons.  Our spirit energy is too different from her's, or she just doesn't like us."

            "Please, Hiei, you must do this."  Boton said.  "If she isn't able to transform to her older state it could be very bad.  Right now, the portals are weaker.  You see, her spirit energy keeps them strong."

            "Not to mention, her energy alone keeps the three worlds aligned with one another."  Ko-Enma added.

            "It won't be so bad," Yukina said.  "You just have to be gentle with her until you learn what she likes and doesn't like."

            Hiei crossed his arms and bowed his head.  "Hn,"

            The others smiled at this non-committal sound.  They knew Hiei well enough to understand that it meant he would do it, even if he hated it.

***

            Hiei awoke early the next morning to train only to find Miyuki nestled against him beneath the blankets on the couch.  She must have moved out here during the night.  He scowled as he carefully drew away from the child, why couldn't she just have been happy with the girls?  They had slept in the room with her.

            Since he had slept with his clothing on, refusing the pro-offered pajamas from Kurama, he quickly slipped out the front door.  If he could manage to get away from the annoyingly young Miyuki he could blow off some steam on some big nasty youkai in the Makai instead of wringing **her** little neck.

            As he summoned a portal to the Makai he noted that it had been harder to do this time.  When he stepped through it wasn't as smooth, either.  He shrugged this off and flitted into the trees, free at last, to do as **he** wanted.  In the Makai it didn't matter if Miyuki had to be safe, it only mattered that he find as many good fights as possible and defeat them all.

***

            Hiei smirked, unleashing his katana from its sheath and holding it at the ready pose.  The youkai in front of him was his tenth, and it seemed to be a worthy opponent.  So far it had managed to land a well-placed claw across his other arm, tearing the cloth and causing blood to seep through the twin wounds.

            He was about to finish it off once and for all when a searing pain ran through his mind and body.  It flared for a moment, and then retreated, leaving the Fire Demon panting for breath.  The youkai took advantage of this moment of weakness and rushed forward.  Hiei had enough time to lift his sword and block the deadly sharp claws that had tried to rake across his face.  Another burst of pain laced through him, longer this time, and he suffered the consequence by means of a nasty gash on his side.

            _No more playing,_ Hiei thought and quickly dispatched of the lesser youkai.  He sheathed his sword and was beaten to the earth by the sudden engulfing pain.  It was like nothing he ever felt before, taking over his mind and body at the same time.  Perhaps he was poisoned?  Kurama might have something to cure it.

            With as much strength as he could muster he summoned a portal back to the Ningenkai and stepped through.  As the cool air hit his sweaty face, he instantly felt better.  He waited for a while for the pain to come back.  After about ten minutes of waiting with no affect what so ever he shrugged off the strange occurrence and headed back to Kurama's house.  When he arrived he let himself in through the front door.

            What greeted him in the living room was alarming.  Miyuki lay on the couch, a cold cloth covering her brow as if to try to lower a fever.  Yukina and Boton sat beside her as Keiko and Kurama moved about the kitchen.  At the sound of the door shutting all eyes turned to Hiei.

            "Where have you been?!"  Boton asked, standing up.

            "If you must know, I went to the Makai."  Hiei said, moving over to the couch and looking down at the fitfully sleeping child.  "What's wrong with her?"

            "We don't know.  This morning when I got up I noticed Miyuki was gone, so I figured she was with you, but when I came out here she had a fever and you were gone."  Boton said.  "Yukina and I tried to use our healing waves but it didn't seem to help any."

            "Only a little while ago did she start to show signs of getting better."  Yukina said.  "At least she's asleep now."

            "Where are Yusuke, Ko-Enma and the dumb elephant?"  Hiei asked.

            "They went out looking for you when they found out you were gone."  Kurama said, standing beside the diminutive youkai.

            "Do you think she'll be all right?"  Keiko asked, kneeling down beside the other girls.

            Kurama pulled Hiei to the side and bent his head low so he could be heard,  "How long ago did you arrive back in the Ningenkai?"

            "About 15 minutes ago, why?"  Hiei asked.

            "Unless I don't remember right, she started to get better around then."  Kurama said.

            "What are you saying, Fox?  That because I was gone she got sick?"

            Kurama shrugged.  "I don't know, Ko-Enma thought it had something to do with the link, that's why he, Yusuke and Kuwabara went out to look for you."

            Hiei remembered the sudden pain he had felt in the Makai.  "How bad did it get?"

            "Very bad," Kurama said grimly.  "Something was hurting her very badly."

            Hiei kept the guilt from appearing on his face until he was positive that his theory worked out.  "How long ago did it turn for the worse?"

            "A while before she started to get better, not too long.  It's a good thing, too.  If that had gone on for much longer I don't know if she could have taken it.  Why?"  Kurama looked suspiciously at the Fire Demon.

            "Because he felt something, too."

            Kurama and Hiei turned their heads to look at Ko-Enma, who had just walked through the front door with Yusuke.

            "There you are!  We've been looking all over for you!"  Yusuke began, but Ko-Enma stopped him before he could rant on.

            "Now that you've pushed all the buttons you can, will you stay here in the Ningenkai?"  Ko-Enma asked, his face remaining calm.  Hiei didn't reply, just stared at the young prince with his liquid fire eyes.  "You **cannot** do this, Hiei.  You **must** stay near Miyuki.  You don't feel it, but your reiki is being shared with her right now, each hour a little bit of it traveling to her.  By going into the Makai you stretched the link that was formed to the breaking point."

            "You nearly killed her!"  Yusuke shouted.

            Keiko gasped and looked at Ko-Enma.  "Could she really have died?"  At the prince's nod she turned pale brown eyes to Hiei.  "How could you be so uncaring?  Hiei your nothing but - "

            "Leave him alone…"

            All eyes turned to the couch.  Miyuki's clear blue eyes were open and looking at Hiei.  A small half-smile formed on her flushed face.  "I don't care as long as Hiei-kun is here."

            Once more Hiei seemed to be pulled into that strange place in his mind where he could **feel** Miyuki.  He was alarmed at how weak it seemed, before the colors had been strong and loud, but now they were barely more than a whisper of their former color.  Happiness ghosted across his mind along with relief and contentment.

            He shook out of it when he heard Kuwabara talking, only catching the ending of his words.  "-ing on?"

            "All right."  Ko-Enma said with a nod.  "I'll explain it to you since you've only just arrived."  He sounded slightly exasperated.

            "Let's all go and let Miyuki rest."  Yukina said.

            "I'll stay with her," Keiko said.

            Yusuke put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.  "Hiei can stay."

            "But…"

            "Don't worry, I'll stay here."  Hiei said.  He wasn't trying to be nice or reassuring to her, though he **did** want to stay with Miyuki for once.  He didn't want to have to hear the story all over again, and besides…he wanted to ask the girl some questions.

            Keiko stood and followed Yusuke and the others into Kurama's bedroom.  Hiei sat cross-legged on the floor beside the couch, looking at the little girl who in turn gazed back at him.  Her cheeks were still red with fever and Hiei could feel a pang of guilt deep within.  "Are you ok?"

            Miyuki smiled and nodded.  "Hai, now that your back I feel much better."

            Hiei was silent for a while.  He was very aware of faint colors growing stronger in the back of his mind, feelings that weren't his own, thoughts of infinite happiness and peace.

            He decided to test something.  He focused on a single feeling, and made a mental picture of himself looking sorry (something very hard to do).  He felt for the link and sent it along.

            Almost immediately the colors stopped swirling and just one color flooded his mind's eye.  Whitish pink.  Forgiveness.  Then purple washed over it.  Confusion.  How?  He gave a mental shrug and was greeted with dashes of green and blue.  A hazy figure began to form until he could make out Miyuki's silvery white hair and young face, looking confused.

            How? 

            I dunno. 

            How? 

            I said I don't know! 

            A deep blue flooded in with black and yellow.

            "I'm sorry."

            Hiei snapped out of the strange link and met Miyuki's sorrowful eyes.  He sighed and shook his head.  "It doesn't matter."  He said.

            "I don't mean to make you mad."  Miyuki said softly.  "I just want to be with you.  Your nice."

            Hiei gave a soft snort.  Him?  Nice?  He had never heard that word describing himself before.  "What's so special about me?"

            "I said you're nice."

            "Right, and that's it."

            Miyuki jumped from the couch and wrapped her little arms quite un-expectantly about Hiei's neck.  "I didn't mean it like that.  I'm sorry!  Don't be mad."

            Despite himself, Hiei wrapped his arms about the child and returned her hug.  He knew she hadn't meant it in any cruel way, but it only brought up ugly feelings within himself.  He was a forbidden child – **the** forbidden child - and there was nothing good and special about him.  There was only hatred and rejection.  He didn't deserve any sort of love, weather it was his sister's or a child's.

            Hiei was startled when he felt a shift in balance.  Even more startled when the face of a young girl of about 16 – his age – with long silvery white hair and sad blue eyes looked into his face.  A glistening tear marred the milky pale flesh of her cheek as it trickled to her chin.

            "Please, Hiei," her voice was soft and sad.  "Don't think that way."

            Distantly Hiei heard the opening of a door and many footsteps followed closely by gasps.  Then, like a knife through butter, Yusuke broke the silence.

            "What the hell are you doing with a naked girl?!"

_AN: The lyrics this time around sort of explain themselves, from the song "My How You've Grown" it talks about growing up, sort of. *shrugs* I thought it was fitting… Stay tuned for the third installment of Aishiteru (I love you), titled Girls._


	3. Girls

AN:  This chapter focuses mostly on the girls, and more specifically, its supposed to focus more on Miyuki.  The boys do show up a little, and Ko-Enma gets the funniest line in this chapter, or at least I think he does.  And the girl's opinions of the guys…well…being the writer, you can only assume (and rightfully so) they are MY opinion.  I don't own the boy (or girl) crazy members of Yu Yu Hakusho, if I did then it would be an insane world indeed.  Forgive me if I misuse or misspell any Japanese.  Enjoy the reading. 

_~Rei_

IMPORTANT:  I never said that this was a Hiei and Kurama or Hiei and anyone fic!  I only said it was a HIEI fic.  No mention of other names.  So please don't say that I had false advertising or something, because I didn't.  Thank you ^_^

"This is a story of a girl

Who cried a river and drowned the whole world

Well she looked so sad

In photographs

I absolutely love her when she smiles."

~ Story of a Girl

Chapter 3:  Girls 

**__**

            "Where's Miyuki?"  Yusuke asked, getting ready for a fight.

            "Hold on," Kurama said, placing a restraining hand on Yusuke's shoulder.  "I think that girl **is** Miyuki."

            Hiei didn't just think.  He **knew**.  The link was still there and he was suddenly flooded with emotions, memories, and information.  It was too much, too quickly.  He looked with shock into those ever-sad blue eyes.  "Miyuki?"

            "Hai."  Was the soft reply.

            Kurama grabbed the quilt off the back of the couch and promptly wrapped it about Miyuki's bare shoulders.  Yukina tended to the unconscious Kuwabara who lay on the floor.

            "Miyuki, you're all right?"  Ko-Enma asked.

            She shifted her gaze reluctantly from Hiei to the young prince and nodded.  "I'm fine," she said with a soft smile.  "Thanks to Hiei."

            "He nearly killed you!"  Yusuke protested.  "Why are you thanking him?"

            Miyuki shook her head.  "When the link stretched a bunch of reiki was stalled, when he touched me, it was unblocked.  Sort of like breaking a dam."

            Hiei shook his head like a dog trying to get rid of a smell.  "At least you're back to normal.  You don't need me around anymore."

            Miyuki's face fell slightly.  "Hai.  If you wish to go now, Hiei, you can…  There is nothing holding you here."

            Hiei stood and walked away from the still sitting Miyuki.  "Your right, there is nothing."  With that he walked out the front door.

            "Now that you're back to your normal form, Miyuki, everything is all right."  Ko-Enma said.

            "Hai, Ko-Enma.  But if you don't mind, I still want to stay in the Ningenkai for a while."

            "Nani?  Naze?"  Ko-Enma seemed shocked.

            "As you know, I don't have any real home in any of the three worlds.  The Ningenkai seems safe enough, and I can guard better from this world than from any of the others."  She paused a moment and a slight blush crept across her cheeks as she smiled shyly,  "Besides, I've never explored this world before."

            "Whatever you want, Miyuki."  Ko-Enma shrugged.

            "Hey, Miyuki."  Keiko said.  "Uhm, do you want to borrow some of my clothes and we can go shopping for some of your own?"

            Miyuki blushed even more, looking around at the boys in the room, pulling the blanket tighter about her shoulders and nodded.  "Arigato, Keiko-chan."

***

            "Wow, those pajamas are really cute!"

            Miyuki nodded awkwardly as she stepped back into Keiko's bedroom wearing her blue pajama pants and shirt.  They were slightly baggy on her, but she didn't mind, she kind of liked them that way.  She sat down on the empty futon and was immediately pounced upon by the three other girls.

            "Your hair is so soft."

            "And long!"

            "It would look good up and out of your face, you know."

            It had been Boton's idea to have a girl's night to better get to know Miyuki since she would be staying around for a while.  After shopping for cloths for Miyuki, they had gone to a movie and then came back to Keiko's.

            Miyuki hadn't minded the shopping (though she wished that she could have paid for the items herself) and the movie had been quite enjoyable, but all the while she couldn't help but have the feeling that they were being followed every step of the way.

            What was worse, since she had 'grown up' the link between herself and Hiei had been cut off.  She had no clue where he was, and couldn't help but feel that he had been confused and sad when he had left.  Miyuki sighed as she wondered what he was thinking of.

            "What are you thinking of, Miyuki?"  Yukina asked, startling Miyuki.

            "I bet it's a boy.  Was it that cute guy who we met in the theater?"  Boton said teasingly.

            "That was awfully nice of him to buy us those tickets."  Keiko said.  "What did he say?  'For pretty girls, I'd be willing to pay for anything.'"

            Miyuki blushed and shook her head.  "No, no, no.  It was nice of him, but…"

            "Someone else?"  Boton asked.

            "Did you see a cute boy and not tell us?"  Keiko asked, nudging Miyuki and giggling.

            "No…" Miyuki muttered, her cheeks turning more and more crimson.

***

            "Hey, they're talking about something."

            "What is it?"

            "Guys I think."

            "Shut up, so I can hear them."

            "…"

***

            "Ooh, what do you think about Yusuke?"  Boton asked, wiggling a teasing finger at Keiko.  "Planning on stealing him away?"

            "Hey!"  Keiko protested.  She threw a pillow at Boton, who ducked and stuck out her tongue.  "Well maybe its Kurama!  Or Kuwabara!"

The pillow fight began to get more and more rowdy as Yukina chucked one of her own into the fray.  "Maybe she likes Ko-Enma!"  She shouted.

***

            "They're talking about us!"

            "Sh, not so loud or they'll hear."

            "Maybe we want them to."

            "Not until they say something else."

            "…"

***

            "Mm, I just love it when Yusuke lets his hair down.  He looks so cute!"  Keiko giggled, hugging her pillow tightly to her chest.

            "Yeah, but Kurama."  Boton sighed,  "There's just something about him.  He's always so calm and so nice!"

            Yukina blushed and smiled shyly,  "Kazuma is so strong, but it's so cute when he shows his softer side."

            "So who is it?"  Boton asked.  "They're all spoken for, well, sort of.  But who do you like anyway?"

            Miyuki looked down at her hands,  "They're all nice, but…"

            "Oh my God…" Boton gasped.

            "You don't think…?"

            "Do you like Hiei?!"

            Miyuki's eyes widened and she blushed furiously as the other girls giggled and laughed.  "You like Hiei!"

***

            "This is getting good."

            "You hear what she said?  She likes it when I show my softer side."

            "Indeed, very flattering."

            "They didn't say anything about me…"

            "Let's see what she says about Hiei."

            "…Hn."

***

            "Common, tell us."  Keiko urged.

            "We won't tease."  Boton promised.

            Miyuki looked at her hands once more.  She finally gave a small nod and the three other girls burst into gales of laughter.  When they finally stopped Miyuki felt like she wanted to cry.  "What's wrong with Hiei-kun?"

            "Nothing is wrong," Boton said.  "Its just funny because Hiei doesn't seem the type to fall in love."

            Miyuki sighed miserably.  Boton realized too late what her words meant.  Keiko put a hand on Miyuki's shoulder reassuringly.  "Tell us how you feel."

            "I don't know," Miyuki said softly.  "When I think of him I get this feeling, like I want to laugh out loud and hug him so tight."  She squeezed her pillow as if it were him, her eyes un-focusing as if she was looking at something far off.  "I can see his face, when he pushed me.  At that moment I just thought he was mean, but now I think he was just afraid and unsure, he doesn't seem to get that many hugs.  But then he looked like he was really sorry, like he didn't mean to."

            She stopped talking and looked up, only to find the other girls watching her with serious faces.  She suddenly became flustered and hit her head lightly,  "I don't know, it's probably just the residue of the link, that's all.  Right, that's all!"

            "You really do like him," Boton said, a bit surprised.  She had figured that Miyuki had been joking or something.

            "Ah – Never mind!"  Miyuki said hastily shaking her head.  "Forget what I said, ok?  Its nothing."

            "Hey, we better get to sleep if we want to get up to show Miyuki the sun rise."  Yukina said, breaking through the awkward silence.  Miyuki gave her a grateful look and promptly squirmed beneath the blankets.  "I'll get the lights."

            "Good-night everyone."  Keiko said as the light blacked out.  Three goodnights followed and then all was silent in the little room.

***

            "Wow," Yusuke said, sitting back and leaning against the wall of the house.  He glanced over at the others and grinned.  "At least now we know what they like about us."

            "We know what they like about **you** guys.  They didn't say anything about me."  Ko-Enma pointed out miserably.

            "You hear that Shorty?"  Kuwabara said, looking at the short Fire Demon that sat with his arms crossed and head bowed.  "She's got it bad for you."

            "They only just met and it seems she's fallen hard."  Kurama observed.  He looked over at his friend and nudged him slightly.  "How do you like her?"

            Hiei opened his crimson eyes and glared at the others.  "Its just as you said, we only just met.  I think she's foolish."

            "You mean you don't like her?!"  Yusuke asked.  Hiei stood up and began to walk away.  "Hey!  Answer me!  You're at least going to follow the girls with us, right?"

            But Hiei didn't answer.  He swiftly leapt into a nearby tree and disappeared with the rustling of leaves.

To Be Continued… 

_AN:  "The Story of a Girl" lyrics are just so fitting for Miyuki, I think.  She's got this sort of shy personality that can come off as sad more often than not, or at least that's what I'm trying to portray.  Stay tuned for the fourth chapter, Boys._


	4. Boys

AN:  As the chapter title implies, this is mostly about the boys, but like Girls, it focuses mainly on one individual, Hiei.  Text in italic is memory and when there are three dots (…) it just means that words were taken out of the sentence that was said.  I do not own the confused Yu Yu Hakusho characters (mmm...just think if I did).  Forgive me if I misuse or misspell any Japanese.  Enjoy your reading.

_~Rei_

"Tell me, did you sail across the sun

Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded

And that heaven is overrated

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star

One without a permanent scar

And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there"

~ Drops of Jupiter, Train

Chapter 4:  Boys 

**__**

            Just as he thought, Kurama found Hiei in the park sitting on one of the benches.  He had his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes gazing into the distance.  He approached him carefully, making his presence known.  When Hiei finally deigned to look at him Kurama smiled and sat down beside him on the bench.

            They sat in companionable silence for a while until Hiei's surprisingly mature voice rumbled through the darkness like an impending storm, cold and deadly.  "What do you want?"

            "The girls will be up soon, we're going to follow them."  Kurama said.  "I just came to see if you wanted to come with."

            "I'm not a stalker."  Hiei said moodily.

            "We're not being stalkers," Kurama said with a small laugh, the thought hadn't struck him, but now that he thought of it…  "We're just following them until they find a place, then we'll go over."

            "Do as you wish, I have no desire to be a part of it."  After a few more minutes of silence,  "You better get going, Fox, before the others think your not coming and leave without you."

            Kurama sighed in exasperation.  Hiei did an awfully good job at shoving people away with his cold voice and harsh words.  He stood and looked down at the Fire Demon.  "You shouldn't hide for too long, Hiei."

            Hiei looked up angrily only too see the Youko's back walking away from him.  "Who's hiding?"  He muttered to himself, then shouted for Kurama to hear,  "I'm not hiding, you are!  Staying in the Ningenkai!"

            Kurama stopped, but didn't turn around.  "I **chose** to stay here, Hiei."  His hands found the pockets of his pants and he walked into the darkness and out of sight.

            Hiei spat angrily.  "Hiding.  Ha!"

            He wasn't hiding from anything.  He feared nothing and nobody.  No youkai could turn him away, no matter what class.  No creature, no matter how big, could bring fear to his icy black heart.

            "I'm not afraid of anyone…" he said to himself.  When he spoke the words, they seemed all the more convincing.

            _"When I think of him I get this feeling, like I want to laugh out loud and hug him so tight. …now I think he was just afraid and unsure…"_

_            "…afraid and unsure…"_

_            "…afraid…"_

            Visions that were not his own flashed through his mind and he closed his eyes tight.  It was times like this that he wished his Jagan didn't remember every damn thing he saw.  Now in his mind's eye the same things ran over and over, like a broken recording.

            Just before the link had broken, while he was still holding the grown version of Miyuki, disturbing visions had come to him.  No, he didn't think they were visions, they were memories.  The one's that Ko-Enma said would be blocked from her.

            The young prince had been right, it was better for Miyuki to forget her past lives when she reverted to her child's body.  It was almost like being reset, but she still could remember the things that were important.

            So why had **he** seen those memories?  It was probably just them leaving her mind, and since Hiei had been in contact with her, through both the link and physically, he had intercepted them.  Hiei shuddered as sweat trickled from his brow, the Jagan recalling the pictures with the utmost detail.

            Pictures of mutilated bodies, crying people, a dead youkai, and endless rivers of blood.  Crimson painted his mind, drenched it, saturated it.  When he closed his eyes he could see Miyuki bleeding for those that she helped.  There was nothing happy of the memories.  Nothing good or bright.  Just red.

            Maybe Miyuki had been right, maybe he was afraid of something.  Of what, he wasn't sure, but when she had first hugged him, he had felt an overpowering panic.  This child had been so eager, so willing to trust him, love him unconditionally as if he were family.

            Love.

            Even the word was alienating to him.  Nobody had ever loved him.  He was the forbidden child.  Only hate and rejection would ever be known in his world.  Only himself to care for, no one else.  He was the center of his own universe.

            Until Miyuki had come.  Like a rouge comet she had been flung into his world, crash landing against him.  As a child she had only been a small problem, he had only to wait until she worked herself out of his orbit and moved away once more.  But now…now she was like a crater in his mind, he'd never be able to remove her.

            Hiei recalled the teasing conversation the girl's had gone through.  Naming off the other boys.  He hadn't expected his name to come up.  He had expected Miyuki to say what she had even less.

            _"When I think of him I get this feeling, like I want to laugh out loud and hug him so tight."_

            When he thought of Miyuki he wanted to rip his heart out and stomp on it.  It did so many strange things, first fluttering weakly, then thumping so loudly that he swore every one in the three worlds could hear it.

            What was the matter?  She was still the annoying, klingy child somewhere beneath that long silvery white hair and soulful eyes.  Eyes that were as blue as the sky on a clear day.  And those pale, delicate hands that were so gentle, so afraid to hurt.

            Hiei shook his head violently.  He leaned forward with a frustrated sigh and rested his forehead in his palms.  Maybe he was afraid after all.  Maybe Kurama was right, it certainly seemed like he was hiding, sitting in the park all alone instead of being with his friends and having fun.

            He stood up and looked about.  He was startled when he realized how much time he had actually spent sitting on that cold bench thinking, for the sun was already beginning to peek over the horizon.  Maybe if he could find them fast enough, he could still go to watch the sun rise with them.

            With a soft swish of dew laden grass and a blur of displaced air he vanished into the dark.

***

            Kurama lifted his head and cast about.  The whole group sat in Keiko and Yusuke's special spot next to the river, where they could watch the sunrise perfectly.  Kuwabara and Yukina sat together near the shore while Yusuke and Keiko sat under the large tree.  He spotted Ko-Enma sitting with Boton and Miyuki in the damp grass.  He gave a small disappointed sigh.  Hiei hadn't shown up like he had hoped.

            From the corner of his eye he saw Boton stand and walk over to him.  She smiled shyly and he returned it, motioning for her to sit down next to him with a nod of his head.  "Hello, Boton."

            "Hello, Kurama."  She sat and looked at the sun as it crept slowly over the horizon line.  Slowly she moved closer to him, until he turned his emerald eyes to look at her.  "Your eyes are beautiful."  She whispered lightly.

            He gave a small smile and leaned forward, his mouth just inches from her's.  "Not as beautiful as you are."  They kissed and he folded Boton into his arms, at peace within.  He was glad he had finally been able to admit to Boton the feelings he harbored for her, and was even more grateful to know she shared them.

            He couldn't help but glance over at Miyuki every now and then.  She had moved herself away from Ko-Enma and sat next to the water's edge a little ways away from the others.  She wore her new clothes, a delicate cream peasant blouse with flower designs and blue jean shorts.  He could almost see her regretting her choice in clothing as she shivered in the cold night air, but she had refused to take a pro-offered jacket so perhaps she enjoyed being cold.

            As Boton leaned against his side he drew his attentions back to himself and the beautiful ferry-girl who sat beside him.  He couldn't change the present or alter the future.  All **he** could really do was sit back and watch and hope that his words had struck something within the cold youkai.

***

            There they were.  Hiei watched from the refuge of the trees as Boton stood and joined Kurama.  He gazed about at the different couples, growling slightly at the sight of Kuwabara with his sister, but he wouldn't stop her.  She really liked him, perhaps loved him.

            Love.

            There it was again.  Such a strange word for him.  He knew of it, what it meant, but he didn't know what it was like to actually **feel** it.  Of course, he had gone through the act of lovemaking before, but never had he actually felt something for the women he'd been with.  If anything, it had always been a mutual act.  She had wanted it, he had wanted it.  The next day he would leave and it would have been like it had never happened.

            Love seemed to be much more complicated than just sex.  Yes, sex was a part of it, but when love was involved deeper feelings were expected to be expressed.  You had to care for your "lover" and let them **know** that you actually cared.  Sleeping with them a night and disappearing the next day would defiantly be frowned upon and if you tried pretending that it had never happened, they would be hurt.

            Love was crazy.

            He finally spotted Miyuki sitting by herself, her legs drawn to her chest as she rested her chin on her knees.  Her eyes were fixed on the water, as if she could see secrets within their depths that no one else could view.  Traces of her memories lashed through his mined like a whip but he shook them away and silently moved with the shadows until he was standing behind her, unnoticed by everyone along the bank.

            A cold wind gusted, tugging at her pale silvery strands of hair and as the wind caressed his face he could smell her.  She smelled like dew and crushed grass … and tears and blood.  She smelled like a fresh morning mixed with the dark night.  She smelt like nothing he had ever encountered before.

            He moved closer, trying to get a better wiff of her heady natural fragrance, but she must have heard him, because she turned around.  Pale blue clashed with liquid flame as their eyes met.  For an instant, a look of surprise crossed over her face, followed quickly by one of sure delight, which was almost as quickly covered (however, poorly) by one of mild happiness.

            "Hiei, I thought you left."  She said softly, looking up at him from her position on the ground.

            His heart fluttered in his chest.  Hiei kept his irregular heartbeat in check and held the feelings back, giving a shrug of indifference.  "I decided to stay instead."

            Smooth, really smooth.  What an answer, she was sure to ask why he had decided to stay.  But she only smiled and nodded as if accepting his words.  She motioned slightly to the spot next to her, the growing light unable to hide the blush that graced her cheeks.  "Do you want to sit?"

            Hiei crossed his arms and remained standing slightly to her side.  She looked disappointed for a moment, but quickly hid it.  Instead she nodded again, as if she understood and accepted that he had reasons of his own not to, and faced the horizon once more.

            They remained like that for a long time.  Hiei standing, Miyuki sitting, both enjoying each other's silence, both watching the sun's glorious accent past the distant tree line into the sky.

To Be Continued… 

_AN:  The "Drops of Jupiter" lyrics are at the beginning of this chapter because I think it sort of fits Hiei and how he feels.  Wanting to know, and yet afraid of what it is he wants to know ("Did you fall for a shooting star; And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there").  Also, the sun has a little to do directly with the chapter ("Tell me, did you sail across the sun").  I don't know, perhaps an attempt at foreshadowing on my part?  Anyway, stay tuned for the fifth chapter called Lock._


	5. Lock

AN:  What better of a place to take a fun vacation than a beach resort nestled in the waves of the ocean?  But be careful, seawater and sand can only rust the lock, making it impossible to open ever again.  I do not own the aquatic Yu Yu Hakusho characters (picture them with fins, whee!)  Please be patient for the last chapter, I've got a sort of writers block.  Forgive me now if I misuse or misspell any Japanese.  Enjoy the reading.

_~Rei_

"I had closed the door upon my heart

And wouldn't let anyone in

I had trusted and loved

Only to be hurt

But that would never happen again

I had locked the door and tossed the key

As hard and as far as I could

Love would never enter there again

My heart was closed for good…"

~ First part of Key To My Heart (a poem), author Unknown

Chapter 5:  Lock 

**__**

            Hiei glanced over at Miyuki; she still wore the same clothing she had for this morning's sunrise.  He thought back to the moment he had wandered so stupidly into the deadly trap.  Kurama and Yukina had made a joint effort to lull him into security and had both lured him into the van next to Miyuki in the way back.

            And now they were on a trip to the beach.

            How could he have been so stupid?  The beach?!  He **could** just escape once they got there, either by means of his unworldly speed or by opening a portal to the Makai.  But they would most likely be watching him, expecting him to try to get away.  So he was trapped.  No matter, he would find a way to avoid everyone.

            But how could he concentrate on the matter of escape when next to him sat Miyuki, whose scent was so intoxicating?  It was driving him crazy.  Everyone was so close, **she** was so close.  He just knew they could all hear his heart going _doki doki_ wildly within his chest.

            Miyuki looked over at him suddenly.  "Did you say something?"

            "No," Hiei said.  At least, he hadn't thought he said anything.  "Why?"

            "I thought I heard you say my name," Miyuki said, looking away with embarrassment.

            Hiei made a point not to notice her blushing and instead concentrated on what the others were talking about.  They were remembering their stay at the Kubikukuri hotel.  He remembered that place; he had hated all but one part of it.  The beds.  They hadn't been the best in the world, but a bed was a bed.

            "Well the resort is wonderful," Keiko suddenly interjected.  She had been to it a couple of times before with her parents, in fact it was her parents who were paying for the stay they would be having.  A whole week in paradise.  "Its right on the beach and you can hear the waves at night."

            "It sounds beautiful," Yukina said.

            "We'll have the whole house to ourselves," Keiko added.  "But even so, we should be careful not to wreck anything."

            "How many rooms are there?"  Kurama asked out of curiosity.

            A smile spread across Keiko's features.  "There are seven rooms.  One of us will get a room to themselves, but the rest of us will have to share."

            "I don't think that's too much of a problem," Boton said.

            "Miyuki can have the room to herself," Hiei said, everyone turned to look at him, they hadn't expected him to speak.

            "Why do you say that?"  Boton asked.

            Hiei allowed a smirk to appear on his face.  He wasn't an idiot; they were trying to force Miyuki upon him.  "Its only proper that she doesn't have to share a room with Ko-Enma or I."

            "Oh," Boton said softly.  Hiei noticed her eyes focusing just past his shoulder, and when he looked back, he found Miyuki gazing silently out the window.  He felt a twinge of guilt for talking as if she wasn't even there.  He sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.  He wanted to say something to her, but didn't know what or how.  The others continued their chatter.

            He took a breath to speak, but held it.  She wouldn't look over; if she would at least stop looking out the window then he could be somewhat sure that she would hear him.  He let his air out in the form of a sigh, unfortunately, this finally caught Miyuki's attention.  She looked over at him.

            "Are you ok, Hiei?"

            "I'm fine," he said.  "Why do you care?"

            Miyuki looked shocked, then hurt.  She closed her mouth and lowered her eyes sadly,  "I'm sorry," she mumbled, then turned back towards the window.

            Hiei was screaming inside his head.  He was such an **IDIOT**!  He hadn't originally meant to be cold, it just happened.  Before, when she had been a child, it had been easier for him to let her know his feelings.  Part of it was because she needed reassurance every few minutes, the other because of the spirit link.  Hiei wished now that the link was back, maybe then he could let her know that he wasn't angry.

            A faint flicker of miserable green ghosted through his mind for the briefest moment.  Hiei nearly jumped in his seat when he realized it was Miyuki.  The colors converged into a distorted, hazy picture of her.

            Hiei? 

            I thought the link was gone. 

            I – id to.  Wh - ing on? 

            I can't hear you.   Hiei concentrated as hard as he could on her form, but the more he tried to focus on it, the more it fazed in and out.  Soon there was nothing more than a flicker.

            Suddenly, a picture made its way brightly through.  It looked like an old lock.  A lock?  Why would Miyuki send him a picture of a lock?  Then every trace of her was gone and he was left alone in his mind.

            Beside him Miyuki sagged against the window for the briefest of moments before she sat up straight again.  She looked over at him and their eyes met.  Miyuki didn't need to the link to read the question in his mind.

            "You should figure it out, Hiei.  For yourself."  She said softly, before letting her eyes wander out the window once more.  It hurt that she had to turn away from him, but she didn't want to let him see her.  She must have looked pathetic as she furiously bit her lips hard enough to make a small trickle of blood seep over her tongue, trying not to cry.

***

            Miyuki had just finished unpacking (thanks to Keiko and Yukina for thinking to bring along her things since coming to the resort had been a surprise for her) when a knock sounded at her door.

            "Come in," she called, setting her bag in the corner of the closet so it was out of the way.  When she turned around she was startled to see Kurama standing in the doorway.  "Hello, Kurama."

            "Hello, Miyuki."  He said, sitting down in a chair.  Miyuki sat cross-legged on her bed.

            "Can I ask why you've come to visit me?"  She asked shyly.

            "I just wanted to talk," Kurama said.

            "… About?"  Miyuki didn't mean to sound so rude, but she couldn't help but feel as if perhaps she were being baited.

            Kurama gave a slight chuckle,  "I see it'll be hard to get anything past you.  I wanted to talk about Hiei."

            Miyuki flinched mentally at the name.  "Why?"

            "I heard from someone that you like him?"  Kurama said.

            "Your very straightforward, Kurama-kun."  Miyuki said.  "And Boton-chan told you, didn't she?"  Kurama gave a laugh and a nod.  Miyuki sighed and hugged her pillow, looking helplessly up at the tall Youko.  "What if I did like him?  Have you come to tell me it'll never work?  That he's too cold and cruel?"  She buried her face in the softness so her voice was muffled.  "I'm afraid I already found that out."

            She felt the bed depress and gravity tried pulling her closer to Kurama who had sat down beside her.  She flinched slightly as a warm hand rested on her shoulder.  "He has his reasons to be so cold."

            "And you will not tell me because they are **his** reasons and not yours."  Miyuki sighed and lifted her head to look at Kurama.  "I understand.  But I just wish that he would let me get at least a little close.  It must have taken a long time to get him to trust you and the others, ne?"

            Kurama gave a half smile and nodded.  "It was, but he came around.  Just give it some time."

            He watched as Miyuki's face grew sad and distant.  She sighed and rested her chin against the pillow still clutched against her chest.  When she spoke, her voice was soft and distracted.  "Time is something I am afraid I don't have much of."

            "Nani?"

            Her lips pressed into a thin line and she shook her head.  "Never mind."

            "Tell me."

            "No, Kurama.  Forget it."

            "I will not," Kurama said sternly.  "Tell me what you mean."

            Miyuki sighed and gave in,  "I can feel **something**.  I'll have to leave the Ningenkai soon and go back."

            "Back where?"  Kurama pressed.  Miyuki turned away, she would say no more on the matter.  Kurama sighed and wrapped the frail-seeming girl in a warm hug.  She was startled, but returned it, glad to be able to draw comfort from someone.  Kurama pulled away and held Miyuki by the shoulders so he could look into her face.  "Hiei **will** come around."  With that he stood and sauntered toward the door.

            "Thank you, Kurama-kun."

            Kurama acknowledged the quite words by looking back and nodding before he shut the door quietly.

            Once alone Miyuki sighed, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.  She reached out with her mind and felt along the dim link.  She had thought it was gone before, but it was still there, just barely, but she could still feel its presence.

            This perplexed her.  In the past the link had always cut off as soon as she had regained enough energy and the flow stopped between her and the one who had spirit linked.  She wasn't sharing energy with Hiei now, which puzzled her even more.

            And that brought her to the matter of how fast she had changed.  She could not recall exact things that happened to her when she was in her child form, but she did have a hazy memory and, sometimes, an even hazier guess of how long she had spent away from her older body.  Not this time, however.  She was **positive** that it had only taken a day and a half.

            But how?

            Could Hiei's reikai have been **that** similar to her's?  What did it mean?  It was most likely all coincidence, but fuzzy details of the past told her other wise.  Now as she pondered it out, trying to remember experiences of before, she cursed her existence.  What was the purpose for her to be able to remain alive by means of shifting to and from her child form if she could never remember more than a handful of things?

            People she didn't know called her friend, even more enemy.  Letters addressed to her from strangers thanking her or condemning her for things she never remembered doing.

            A sudden thought ran through her mind with an icy warm touch.  What if Hiei's reikai was so similar because he would take over her duties?

            It wasn't too hard to believe.  As times changed (and she guessed that **much** time had passed her by) so did people and technology.  Perhaps they had found a better foul safe plan by means of Hiei.  It wouldn't have been so bad.  She could live out the life she had now as a **normal** human being.  Of course, being human would mean she would loose most if not all of her reikai and senses.  Or maybe she wouldn't be allowed to live this life.  She guessed she had lived plenty of lifetimes.  Death would be welcome after so much time.

            But how much time?!

            "I'm going in circles!"  She moaned as she flopped back on the bed, smothering her face with the pillow.

            She didn't hear the door opening and didn't even realize someone was there until she felt hands tugging at the cushion.  She let them pull it away from her face and found Yukina standing beside the bed.

            "Hello, Yukina, what brings you here?  Come to counsel me about Hiei also?"

            Yukina blushed and sat down.  "Someone already came to talk with you?"

            "Mm," she said in confirmation as she stood and moved to her closet, unwilling to allow Yukina see the sudden wash of exhaustion that seemed to sweep over her.  "Kurama."

            "Oh," Miyuki looked over her shoulder and saw Yukina stand.  She moved over and put a hand on her shoulder.  "Well, then he's told you that Hiei - "

            "Will come around in time," Miyuki said with her.  She couldn't help but smile warmly at the youkai.  She felt at ease with Yukina, perhaps it was because she was Hiei's twin, who knew.  "Yes, he did.  Thank you."

            "Of course," Yukina said with a blush, pleased that she had seemed to have been able to pull Miyuki from the dark mood she'd been in since their arrival at the resort.  "I also came to tell you that we're all going to go to the beach.  Do you want to come with?"

            Miyuki gave a moment to think it over.  Maybe some bright sunshine would be good for her, and besides, she wanted to spend as much time having fun in the Ningenkai before she would have to make the eminent return to…

"Everyone?"

            Yukina smiled and nodded.  "Everyone."

            Miyuki returned the grin and gave a thumbs-up.  "Ok, let me get my things together and I'll be right down."

            "We'll be waiting, Miyuki-chan."  Yukina said as she walked out the door.

            Miyuki began searching through the closet for the bathing suit she knew she had stored within it.  When she had found it and her towel along with sunglasses and sunscreen she straightened up and moved to the great window that adorned the larger part of one of the bedroom walls.  It faced the ocean, and she watched as the waves lapped idly at the sands.

            "Hiei…"

***

            "Watch out!"

            Hiei swiftly sidestepped the beach volleyball that had been flying at his head.  He looked over at Boton, who had shouted the warning.  She waved at him as an apology.

            "Throw the ball back, will you Miyuki?"

            Miyuki?

            Hiei turned around when he heard the light sound of dry sand shifting beneath feet.  Miyuki was approaching, wearing her red bikini-style bathing suite, her sunglasses propped on her forehead, partially to keep the long silvery strands of hair out of her eyes.  She leaned down and picked up the ball, then threw it back to Boton.

            "Hey," she said softly, looking at Hiei with azure eyes.

            Hiei nodded stiffly, feeling embarrassed wearing the green and yellow, Hawaiian style swim trunks that had been borrowed from Yuusuke.  He felt like an idiot.  Miyuki shifted awkwardly and gave a shy smile.

            "Are you having fun?"  She asked in a quite voice.

            "Hn," Hiei said.

            She was about to say something more, but was interrupted by Keiko.

            "Miyuki, come play with us!"

            Miyuki looked behind Hiei at the other girls, they waved their arms wildly, motioning for her to play.  She didn't really want to but…it would be better than standing awkwardly in front of Hiei waiting for him to "come around."  She gave a nod and returned hr focus to Hiei's elven features.

            "I guess I'll see you later."  She said and waved, moving to walk past him.

            She was surprised when she felt him grab her arm secretly.  She stopped and was about to turn her head to look at him when she felt his hot breath puffing against her ear as he whispered something to her.  Just as quickly he had let go and returned to his normal facade of indifference.

***

            Miyuki sat on a rock near a small wake pool.  She watched as tiny fish darted around beneath its silvery surface only to soon figure out that they were trapped from the ocean.

            Trapped.

            That was how she felt.

            She didn't know if it had been such a good idea to decide to stay in the Ningenkai now.  If any being of considerable power came along, she would be in danger of breaking a law that she herself had created long ago.

            Never, **ever** endanger those around you.

            If she was in the Makai she could easily move away from anyone that could be harmed.  But in the Ningenkai it would be difficult to find such a place.  It seemed humans inhibited every little space.  Though she would have Hiei and the others to help her if needed.

            Hiei.

            She blushed as she recalled his breath as it caressed her cheek.  His words echoed in her mind…

_            "I threw the key away long ago."_

            He had figured out her cryptic words.  It hurt for her to remember when she had realized it herself.  Hiei's mind and soul were locked up tight, and indeed the key must have been thrown away.  The walls were too high, the lock too old.  There was no way for her to get through, and Hiei had confirmed it.

            _"He'll come around…"_

            "No he won't."  Miyuki said bitterly to herself, throwing a rock into the water and causing violent ripples to disturb the surface.

            "Who won't what?"

            Miyuki froze, her back stiffening.  Her eyes widened and she turned her head ever so slightly to the side.  Behind her stood Hiei, of all people.  He moved over and sat beside her on the rock.  Miyuki blinked over at him until he pinned her with a mild glare.  Flustered, she turned her attention back to the fish.

            "N-nothing.  I was just thinking to myself."  She managed to stutter out.

            Hiei let his silence answer for him while his mind roared with thoughts.  He had thought about what Miyuki had said in the car early that morning.  And now as the sun began to set he knew what she had meant by the lock.

            Miyuki was trying to tell him that **he** was the lock.  His emotions had been stored carefully away from the daylight and the memories stuffed as best as they could be into the back of his mind where he didn't have to think of them all the time.  He wouldn't let anyone in, and he didn't really think he could.  When he had still been young the key had been tossed away and lost within the brush of the Makai.

            Besides, who would want to open the door to a forbidden child?

            "The sunrise was wonderful, but the sunset…it's so beautiful."

            Hiei was pulled from his thoughts as Miyuki spoke softly.  He looked out over the water to see the magnificent sunset.  It had just begun and the water was starting to turn an orange color as the sky changed to hues of pink and purple.

            He glanced over at Miyuki.  She was watching the waves crash impotently against the rocks.  A gust of wind and sea-spray tossed her silvery white hair, now died a slight orange by the failing sunlight, about her shoulders.  He noticed the softness of her face, the way she always seemed to look as if she held a terribly sad secret.  If she were to look at him, he knew those sorrowful blue, blue eyes would eat away at his soul so he felt like he wanted to scream out loud and made his heart beat so fast.

            "Yeah…beautiful…"

            Miyuki looked at him and smiled.  Hiei blushed ever so lightly and looked back at the water.  Had she seen him looking at her?

            "You know, I don't think I've seen such a beautiful sight as this in all the worlds."  Miyuki said softly.

            "How would you know if you've seen something as beautiful, you can't remember anything."  Hiei said.

            Miyuki nodded.  She knew he wasn't trying to be cold, he was just asking a simple question.  She looked sadly down at her hands.  "You're right.  I wouldn't know."

            A flash of red dashed across his mind and he winced, pushing Miyuki's memories back.  She noticed his change in manner and peered over at him, a worried expression on her face.

            "Are you all right?"

            "I'm fine,"

            "Oh…"

            They sat watching the sun setting even lower, until it was nearly gone.  They shared the silence companionably until Hiei realized Miyuki was shivering.

            "Are you cold?"  He asked, looking over at her.  She had her arms wrapped about her stomach, a dreamy look on her face.  She didn't respond to his words so he reached out a hand to shake her.

            As his palm made contact with her shoulder he was struck by shades of red and light blues.  Miyuki's figure appeared strong in his mind.

            Why do you lock away your heart? 

            Because… 

            You are afraid of being hurt? 

            I am afraid of nothing. 

            The expression on Miyuki's face fell and she began to fuzz out again.  Hiei reached out with his mind and held on as hard as he could, trying to keep her longer.

            Wait…! 

            - cannot wa – you.  You – to – ant me to st - 

            Miyuki! 

            Hiei gave another hard pull along the link and the picture seemed to adjust like a TV set.  Miyuki suddenly sprang into crisp focus, a smile adorning her lips.

            You want me to stay? 

            …   Her image began to waver,  Yes! 

            Why? 

            Hiei balked at this question.  Why did he want her to stay?  She was beautiful…and she seemed to hold the promise of something he had never been promised before.

            Love.

            But did he want it?

            I … 

            Hiei, why?   Miyuki seemed to need to hear this as much as he needed to say it.

            I want to … to be with you.   He felt foolish after the words were out.  Couldn't he have come up with a better way to say it?

            It's all right. 

            Hiei blinked his crimson eyes as the link broke and he found himself looking into Miyuki's face.  It was awfully close.

Really close.

            **Too close!**

            Before he could jerk his head back she gently slid her cool palm over his cheek and caressed his face.  Her eyes seemed full of gentleness as she gazed into his eyes.

            "Hiei…will you let me be the key?"

            Their lips drifted closer in the small gap between each other.

            "Will you let me love you?"

            Hiei suddenly rediscovered his body could move and jerked back.  He looked at Miyuki, sitting on the rocks, slightly leaning forward, and gazing at him with hurt.  She watched as he turned around and ran.

            Her mind was slow to realize that it was real, she wasn't dreaming.  Hiei had rejected her.  He had stood up and ran away from her when she had tried to bear her soul to him.  She gave a soft moan, and nothing could describe the pain as her heart shattered into a million delicately sharp fragments.

To Be Continued… 

**_Word Help: _**_Doki doki =It's a Japanese sound effect.  Yes, they **say** their sound effects.  Doki doki is the sound of someone's heart beating fast, weather it be because they are scared, nervous or excited._

AN:  The first half to a poem entitled "Key To My Heart" by an unknown author.  I see it as if Hiei is saying it, because if you think, it does seem that he's tried to trust and love before, but he was only betrayed and tossed out (in one case literally).  The second half of the poem is in the sixth and last chapter, Key.


	6. Key

AN:  Finally chapter, finally.  I put it off for a really long time, and I'm sorry.  No poetry at the beginning of this chapter, because I can't remember the end of the poem, and I really do want to just get this story done and over with.  It was fun writing, and I hope it was fun for you guys to read.  So enjoy! Chapter 6:  Key 

****

            Hiei awoke to someone shaking him awake.  For a brief moment, he imagined it was Miyuki, but when he opened a flame colored eye, it was only Ko-Enma, and boy did he look mad.

            "What do you want?"  Hiei grumbled.

            "Where's Miyuki?  You were with her last, right?"  Ko-Enma demanded.

            _"Hiei…will you let me be the key?"_

            "Yeah, I was with her last night."  Hiei said, sitting up.  "She's probably in her room or outside."

            "No, she's not.  We've checked everywhere."  Ko-Enma pinned Hiei with a suspicious glare.  "Are you **sure** you don't know where she is?"

            For all he knew, Miyuki could still be sitting at the rocks in the same position he had left her in.

            _"Will you let me love you?"_

            Hiei shook his head and put a hand to his temples.  He got up after Ko-Enma left and dressed.  After a lengthy internal battle, he decided he would go to the rocks, just to be sure.

            But when he arrived in the cold morning air there was nobody there.  Part of him was relieved.  If Miyuki wasn't there, then he wouldn't have to talk to her.  He wouldn't have to face those hurt blue eyes and soft pink lips.  He sat down miserably where Miyuki had sat; he could still feel the residue of her reiki, so similar to his.

            He turned his head when he sensed his sister walking up behind him.  She stood beside him for a moment, and then sat down also.

            "Hiei, are you all right?"

            "I'm fine."

            Yukina balked at her brother's foul mood for a moment, but then pressed on anyway.  "Is it about Miyuki?"

            Hiei winced and she knew she had hit the nail on the head.  He turned his eyes to the water and seemed to ignore Yukina's presence all together.  She reached out a hand and touched his shoulder lightly, regaining his attention.

            "What happened?"

            Hiei gave in.  His sister was probably the only person he could trust with this anyway.  "The link was re-established."

            "That's all?"  Yukina seemed doubtful.

            "And she …" No matter how hard he tried, he didn't seem to be able to say the words.

            "She…?"

            "She wanted to be with me."  He said, feeling ashamed at his weakness.  A mighty warrior, and he was stopped by a puny, simple word.

            Yukina prodded farther with the ut-most care.  "She … cared for you?"

            Hiei nodded his head, grateful his sister knew him well enough.

            Yukina looked at the side of Hiei's face, eyebrows knitted in thought.  "So, she ran away?"

            "Well…not because of that."  Hiei admitted.  "She didn't really run away first…" Damn his pride.  Even to his sister he couldn't be specific.

            Yukina spent some time puzzling out Hiei's cryptic words until she felt she had pieced them together well enough to understand.  "So, Miyuki cared for you, and you ran away, which hurt her, so she must have run away too?"

            Hiei gave a miserable nod.

            "We should probably at least tell the others that we know she ran away."  Yukina said.

            Hiei sighed.  "Whatever, I don't care anymore."

            Yukina looked at her brother with growing worry.  She stood up and dusted off her robe where she had been sitting.  "Hiei…just promise me one thing."

            "Hn."

            "Promise me…promise that you'll do what **you** think is right.  Do what you want and don't care about anything else."

            Hiei only stared at the lapping waves.  Yukina gave a small smile when she saw him nod his head slightly.  She turned around and walked back to the resort, where she knew the others were looking for Miyuki.

***

            Hiei walked silently along the beach, watching as the sand passed by underfoot.  Yukina had made him promise that he would do what he wanted to do.

            But what **did** he want?

            He was so confused.

            When he was around Miyuki, he felt strange, like his heart was being pinched tight and butterflies were fluttering around in his stomach.  He felt like staying away to stop the strange sensations, but at the same time he wanted to move closer to her.  He couldn't explain the crazy thoughts that went through his mind when she was near.

            Come to think of it, he remembered Kurama speaking about feelings like that.  Yusuke and Kuwabara too, only for them it had been when they were around Keiko, Yukina and Boton.  And now they were lovers.

            "_Shimatta!_"

            Lovers?!  So did that mean he … loved Miyuki?  He knew he had wanted to be around her, but to go so far as loving her?

            He shuffled through his thoughts, which proved to be a difficult task indeed.  No, he couldn't love her.  He couldn't love anybody, and in turn nobody could love him.

            But…

_            "Hiei…will you let me be the key?"_

            But she had looked like she was being truthful.  Her eyes had held within them a silent promise.

            _"Will you let me love you?"_

            He buried his face deep within his palms and shuddered at the memory of her soft words.

            _"…let me love you…"_

            And he had run away from her.  Like a frightened little dog with his tail held firmly between his legs.  All because of that damn word!

            _"…love you…"_

            With a frustrated groan he pressed his fingertips into his eyes, trying to keep everything from spilling out.  Trying not to let the feelings engulf him like he knew they would.  He had ran away from something that he had always wanted to feel…wanted to experience…but was always too afraid to admit.  And there was the truth of it all.

            He was afraid.

            Deep inside, he was afraid that his friends would desert him, that his sister would start to hate him and that he would have to go back to living alone in the Makai.  Miyuki had finally broken through the wall…a wall that had stood tall and strong for so many years.  But she wasn't here to witness it.  She wasn't here to finally see her love returned.

            He had lost her, and with her, went the feelings.  Now he was left feeling empty, and it hurt so badly.

            An obsidian tear trickled from the corner of his eye, forming into a tear gem and glittering coldly as it fell to the sands, where it was lost forever.

            Just like Miyuki.

***

            When Hiei walked in through the front door he was nearly pounced upon by Boton.  He was too miserable to care much, but when she thrust a piece of paper with writing on it he snapped to attention.  It was signed by Miyuki.  He read aloud.

_Dear Friends,_

_            Thank you for showing me all the wonderful things of the Ningenkai.  I would have liked to stay longer, but it is time for me to leave back to the Makai.  Please don't come with._

Sayonara 

_Miyuki___

            "Sayonara…" Hiei breathed softly.

            "It isn't too surprising that she left, however I didn't think it would be so soon."  Ko-Enma said.

            Yusuke read the letter over,  "The Makai?!  She'll be murdered!"

"This **is** Miyuki we're talking about."  Boton said.  "Remember, she's been traveling between the three worlds since they were created."

            "But why is she going back so soon?"  Keiko asked.

            Ko-Enma shrugged.  "There must be some sort of threat."

            "I guess we just…forget about her?"  Yusuke said quietly.

            "Until she is forced back to her child form, yes."  Ko-Enma said.  "And that won't likely be for some time.  You'll all be quite old by that time, I think."

            Hiei shook his head suddenly.  "I don't care."

            "Huh?"

            "I'm going to go to the Makai and look for her."

            "But she's not in any danger and she specifically asked for no one to come with."  Ko-Enma said.

            "I said I don't care."  Hiei said coldly.

            "But how are you going to find her?"  Kuwabara asked.  Hiei gave the tall, orange haired youth a withering glare.  He brushed the hair from his forehead, revealing his bandana.  "Oh right, that freaky eye."

            "Let me come with you."  Yusuke said.  "I can help."

            "No, I'm going alone."  Hiei disappeared with a swish of cloth, leaving the others staring at the place where he stood before.

***

            Miyuki let out a shuttering breath as she collapsed to her knees, beside her a dismembered youkai fell to the dirt with a sickening thud.  Bits and pieces of memories were trickling back, things that were important for her to know.  How to defend, to fight and to kill.  A part of her ached, but she gritted her teeth and stood.  It didn't help to dwell over the past.  She had her job to do.

            Protect the three worlds, keep them aligned, keep them stable and keep everyone and everything living.  How ironic, she thought, that once her will to go on had left her, she still had to go on.  No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't just allow herself to fade away.  She was still technically needed; even if it wasn't by the one person she wanted it to be.

            It had been hard to say sayonara to her newly found friends, people she had hoped to be able to spend time with, even if she would have to watch some of them grow old and die.  Kurama, Boton, Ko-Enma, Yukina and…Hiei.  They were of the other world, the Makai and the Reikai.

            Maybe…over time, Hiei would accept her.

            No, that's what Yukina and Kurama had said.  Hiei had run away, had rejected her.  He didn't love her.  She felt foolish for allowing herself to actually think that she could love someone and they would return it.

            Her thoughts were halted by the soft sound of a swishing cloak, and Miyuki looked up only to turn quickly away.  Her eyes were lying to her, her mind was just telling her what she wanted to see and hear.

            "Yameru!  Miyuki, onegai!"

            Miyuki halted, slowly turning her head.  He was really there, and he was pleading her to stop.  She watched as he leapt gracefully from the tree and landed at its base.  He stood to his full height and looked at her.  No words were spoken, and a gentle breeze idly tossed Hiei's main of jet-black hair, marred only by the white starburst that ran through it.

            "What do you want, Hiei?"  Miyuki asked.

Hiei flinched internally at the void expression on her face.  He moved closer to her, until he was far enough away so that if he reached out with his hand, he could touch her.  "I…"

            She waited silently for him to say what he wanted.  Inside, however, she was crumbling.  She wanted to sink to her knees and cry.

            "Could you really love a forbidden child?"  He finally asked.

            Miyuki looked startled for a moment.  "What does that have to do with any of it?  A person could love anyone…if they loved them back."

            "I…don't quite understand how.  But…" Hiei looked into Miyuki's face.  "Onegai, don't leave."

            Her eyes widened.  "You…want me to stay?"

            "Hai."  Hiei said, nodding.  Awkwardly he reached down and took her hand.  "Miyuki, I…" Gods it was hard to say this!  "I was afraid of loosing the people I loved.  When you left…I realized that I was afraid of loosing you the most."

            Tears began to prick at the corner of Miyuki's eyes.  Gently, Hiei reached up and brushed them gently away with his fingertips.  "Hiei…aishiteru…" She choked.  This was it, if Hiei didn't return her love…she didn't know what she would do.

            For a moment, Hiei stiffened.  And then he leaned forward and kissed her.  When he pulled away and looked into her eyes, a rare smile ghosted across his lips.  "Aishiteru."

*Owari*

_Ending Note:  I, personally, like the ending.  But I just know there will be some people who are not satisfied with it.  I don't know what to do about it, except write an Alternate Ending if I ever rouse up enough enthusiasm or inspiration.  Tell me what you guys want, and I guess I could give what you say a try.  But please, don't ask for a lemon, because I have retired from my lemony days, and only on rare occasions will I write one._


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